Throughout the year, Penske’s professional truck drivers spend thousands of hours on the road traveling millions of miles. While the scenery may change, one thing remains constant for drivers: their dedication to safety.
”Our drivers’ main focus behind the wheel is to maintain 360 degrees of awareness,” said Stanley Stone, Penske's vice president of safety. “They focus on keeping their vehicle in the safest position to allow both space for the vehicle and time to make decisions.”
This dedication to safety helps keep not only truck drivers safe, but also other motorists and pedestrians, Stone said. All Penske drivers receive year-round training and instruction to keep their driving skills sharp. Many participate in the Smith System training course –the leading provider of collision avoidance driver training in the country – and take true pride in accident- and injury-free driving records.
Marty Vailes, a senior operations manager at Penske, says his crew of drivers in Michigan embodies Penske’s safety ideals. His team hauls high-security vehicles year-round and is approaching two years of accident-free and injury-free work.
“My team, just like every other at Penske, takes a lot of pride in what they do,” explained Vailes. “They work with each other, help each other, and remain in constant contact with their other teammates and their customers.”
It is this communication that Vailes feels is one of the keys to remaining safe while working in high-stress situations.
“Drivers at Penske do more than just drive. They perform in some difficult weather conditions,” Vailes said. “Penske does a great deal to make sure that the team has the tools they need to communicate and get from point A to point B without incident.”
Penske is acknowledging safe drivers like Vailes’ team throughout National Truck Driver Appreciation Week from Sept. 13 to Sept. 19. Sponsored by the American Trucking Associations, this week is planned to bring awareness to America’s 3.4 million professional truck drivers.
If you would like to drive for a company that makes safety a priority, Penske is currently hiring across the United States.
By Tony Kozuch